Date:         Sun, 26 Mar 2000 21:48:21 EST
Reply-To:     MW575@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Michael Wagner <MW575@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Finally - a good solution to the Shreddy Cord Seats
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I finally have found and implemented a great solution to the shreddy corduroy
upholstery I had, and I know others are suffering with (as well as just plain
worn out upholstery too).

I stripped one of my seats of its existing upholstery and sent it off to an
outfit called Custom Interiors (a division of Autocraft) in Massachusetts.
Their phone number is (800) 423-6053.  They ripped out the seams, made a
pattern (which they now have on file for the rest of you) and made me two new
sets that are almost identical to original construction, which I just
re-installed and they look terrific.  The total cost for both, including
shipping was $158.50

Custom Interiors has a wide variety of velour, tweed and vinyl materials.
When I told them the color I was looking for, they sent me some samples of
the fabrics they had in the color range so I'd be sure of what I was getting.
 I went with a dark brown velour with dark brown vinyl for the seat backs and
bottoms.

The covers look and fit like the original, and really wasn't all that hard to
install.  I did have to buy a hog-ring plier, and some hog-rings to
re-install, and of course, you have to completely dis-assemble the seats to
do this - but the effort was really worth it.  I would strongly advise anyone
with the interior upholstery blues to do this over other options like seat
covers (which I have done before and they looked like crap within months).
If anyone has any questions about something I haven't covered, p-mail me.